LNP Groping for Straws Against Rep. Kolubah?

-Situation turns Monrovia chaotic ahead of June 7 protest

Just as arrangements between the Council of Patriots and the Government of Liberia throught the Ministry of Justice appeared to be going cordially and agreeably well concerning the much-publicized June 7 “peaceful protest,” Monrovians woke up on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 to news that police had barricaded the home of Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah in an attempt to arrest him on charges of “attempted murder.”

Rep. Kolubah is accused of ordering one of his security guards to flog a young man, believed to be a resident of his district for “misconduct and stealing of the lawmaker’s smartphone.” In a slight change in the narrative, so-called eyewitnesses, who preferred anonymity, alleged that Rep. Kolubah’s bodyguard (not named) brutally flogged Emmanuel Freeman at 2:00 a.m. on the alleged order of Kolubah for “spewing insults at the lawmaker”.

The presence of police officers at Kolubah’s residence yesterday morning sparked tension on the part of the lawmaker and his supporters, but was calmed down only upon the arrival of Bomi County District #1 Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe, and a host of other key planners of the June 7 protest.

Supporters of Rep. Yekeh Kolubah at his house on the Old Road, when police came to arrest him.

Snowe heads the Liberian delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Along with ECOWAS monitors who are in the country to observe the planned June 7 protest, Snowe helped escort Kolubah from Old Road to the headquarters of the Liberia National Police (LNP) on Capitol Hill.

Whether true or not, circumstances surrounding Rep. Kolubah’s arrival at the LNP headquarters was eclipsed by news that Police had arrested the leader of the University of Liberia (UL) Student Unification Party (SUP), Carlos Tingba Edinson.

Edinson and two other SUP members, Willie Bombo and Little Yealu (all Nimbaians) were picked up by the police, while they were climbing the stairs to the university campus from the side of the Jallah Town road.

The action of the police, which reportedly aggravated a number of the students on the UL Campus, led to a riot that resulted into stone-throwing allegedly master-minded by the some of the students and the police use of tear gas to disperse them.

In the confusion that ensued, some of the students reportedly blocked the main streets between the UL campus and the Capitol Building, thus creating heavy traffic grid.

Shortly after police dispersed the students, some of them regrouped and marched to the LNP headquarters demanding the release of their colleagues, or else there will be no peace.

Costa speaks to aggrieved students

The police, too, on order of their commanders in charge, reengaged the students by compelling them to return to their campus without disturbing the “peace.”

While the police were pushing the students away from the LNP headquarters, tough talking radio host, Henry Pedro Costa and the political leader of the All Liberian Party, Benoni Urey, arrived on the scene and appealed to the students to calm down as they were going to engage the police to release their colleagues.

In the confusion, UL student Martin Bobby Sellee said government is infringing on the rights of people ahead of the planned June 7 protest. Sellee alleged that the arrest of Edinson and his colleagues, as well as inviting Rep. Kolubah to the LNP headquarters to answer to questions on the alleged flogging of Emmanuel Freeman are tactics to silence the “strong voices.”

“The government is designing means that people do not exercise their constitutional rights,” Sellee alleged.

In a Facebook post, Martin K. N. Kollie, secretary General of SUP, called the Weah-led government “an opposition to itself. The arbitrary arrest of Chairman Carlos Edison et al is an unprovoked attack on the youth and student community of Liberia. We vehemently condemn the continuous attack, harassment and intimidation against Rep. Yekeh Kolubah by this regime.”

Police in riot gear as they drove away students who protested the against the arrest their leader and Rep. Yekeh Koulbah

Search and Seizure

While it is not clear while why Edinson and his colleagues were arrested and not released up to press time last night, the Judge of the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice, Kennedy Peabody, served a search and seizure warrant on Rep. Kolubah through the LNP. The warrant was for a search of Rep. Kolubah’s residence on the Old Road, following a complaint by government based on an alleged tip-off regarding a stockpile of weapons brought into the country by the Lawmaker.

Judge Peabody issued the writ as a result of an application from Montserrado County Chief Prosecutor, Cllr. Edwin Martins consistent with Chapter 11, section 11.1 and 2 of the Criminal Procedural Law of Liberia.

Meanwhile, after the search by the court sheriffs and the LNP, it was established that nothing was found in the home of the lawmaker.

Chapter 11, section 11.1 of the criminal procedural law states that: “A search warrant may be issued by magistrate, justice of peace, or any other judicial officer empowered to perform such function, whose jurisdiction encompasses the area within the property sought is located.”

Section 11.2 states: “A warrant may be issued under the provisions of this chapter to search for and seize the followings, such as stolen or embezzled, illicit, forfeited, or prohibited properties, contraband, and instruments or other articles designed or intended for use, or which have been used, as a means of committing a criminal offense.”

The writ was issued after a heated clash among security personnel, supporters of Rep. Kolubah and some UL students, particularly members of SUP, who demanded the release of the lawmaker.

Up to the writing of this story, LNP spokesman H. Moses Carter did not respond to phone calls requesting comment on Wednesday’s events.

Unanswered questions regarding allegations of attempted murder and “tip-off” about “stockpiles of arms at the home of Rep. Kolubah” leave pundits to believe that, ahead of the June 7 protest, of which Kolubah is one of the organizers, the Weah Administration may be looking for some wrong to pin on the lawmaker, as a way to discredit the protest one way or another.

Meanwhile, the Council of Patriots, organizers of the June 7 protest, is expected to meet with the Ministry of Justice to iron out final plans for the scheduled protest. Members of the Council of Patriots include Rep. Kolubah, Senators Oscar Cooper of Margibi and Sando Johnson of Bomi, Henry Costa, Abraham Darious Dillon of the opposition Liberty Party, and a host of others.

9 COMMENTS

A young was killed or died under suspicious circumstances in the home of a reverend, and up to now no other person besides the money-talking reverend, and the government has the audacity to arrest Rep. Kolubah for a flogging allegation? Not even that the flogging is justified in any civilized measure but for heaven’s sake, which situation deserves police presence, investigation or the arrest of anyone more than the other, the death or flogging of a citizen? This goes to show how upside down the priorities of this clueless government is.

And in the wake of the mounting tension surrounding the pending June 7 demonstration, is it not outright stupidity for any government to start arresting citizens associated with that demonstration? Even people who may have been leery to participate in the demonstration, may now be provoked and encouraged to join the march on account of these stupid ill-advised actions of government. Only one-cell brain persons will not see the justification therefore, for June 7 and all it’s ramifications.

LNP Groping for Straws ? James Davis do not think so . This is the same scenario played out on the Liberian people minds by Representative Gray to bring charges against the former Associate Justice , Justice Ja’neh accused for illegally taking a ninety years old lady’s land that brought about his impeachment saga. Which is now history. But going to the same well with the same scenario in order to go after a sitting lawmaker just as it was orchestrated against a sitting Justice and it did worked on the minds of the Liberian people, why not go to the well one more time with the same political scenario? They got a witness who is the victim, just as lawmaker Gary got the old lady and painted as her as the victim against Justice Ja’neh that brought about public sympathy for the ninety years old lady against the sitting Justice in a corrupt court system. They are not “Groping for Straws” they really mean what they are planning. Don’t count out Representative Gray in this alleged political plot to unseat his fellow lawmaker on bogus charges. But coming to the well the second time, and to get the public to go along as will be a hard sell. They got the police and the courts on their sides. But it won’t be an easy sell to the public. They are not fooling around, they mean whatever they are up to. And that is to discredit and destroy the lawmaker like they did with Justice Ja’neh. There you have it .

The tactics played by the south easterners led by Master Sergeant Doe in the 80s is what we are experiencing today led by group of another South easterners. This is the living witness for the youth today who didn’t see what we saw.

The death of a young lady at the home of a Reverend
VS
The flogging of an alleged thief by the supporters of an elected lawmaker, Yeke Kolubah.

The death of a young lady at the home of a Reverend is horrendous. There’s no way to slice it. To put it mildly, it’s very sad. The National Police should do all that’s possible to find the killer or killers of the young lady whose life has been shortened under a mysterious circumstance. If the Reverend is directly involved (I certainly hope he’s not) he must bear the consequences of his involvement.

But on the other hand, the presence of the National Police (NP), does not have to be done on a 24-hour basis in order to conduct a thorough investigation.

Orders to flog an alleged thief:
It’s been reported also that a young Liberian guy stole a valuable item that belongs to Rep. Yeke Kolubah. The young guy, (who happens to be the alleged thief) is wrong. The NP must do all that’s possible to bring the alleged thief to justice irrespective of whether or not the stolen item is worth a dime or less. Like Rep. Kolubah, no one wants his or her valuable item or items stolen.

Problem:
It’s been alleged that Rep. Kolubah had ordered the beating of the young guy who stole his valuable item without a due process.

ACTION TAKEN BY THE NATIONAL POLICE:
Upon hearing that an elected lawmaker, Mr. Kolubah had ordered the beating of a thief, the NP went to the residence of an intractable lawmaker, Mr. Kolubah to have him arrested.

Questions:
1. Does a lawmaker have a legal right to order the flogging of a criminal?

2. Does the NP have a right to arrest a lawmaker who discharges his duties wrongly?

Conclusion:
This is a difficult time in our country’s history. We are at the dawn of a rude awakening. A protest march has been planned. Every civilized Liberian does not want to see violence during and after the June 7 march. The whole world is watching us just as God the creator is looking down on us. It is hoped that the NP and the protest marchers will adhere to the rule of law. It’s an absolute must!

The NP will do any and everything to quell any insurrection. But because they are charged with the responsibility to maintain law and order, it doesn’t give them the right to abuse anyone.

On the other hand, the protest marchers have been given the greenlight to march peacefully. The protest marchers have been sincerely promised a protection; they are not given any right to become rude and disrespectful to the NP. Despite how unhappy they are, the protesters must give unto Ceacer what is Ceasar’s!

There should be no finger-pointing by the pundits on both sides!!!!!!!!
If the protest concludes without a stint of confusion, the Liberian democracy will be respected.

Woooo, it puzzles me how come a lady was allegedly rape and killed and no imediiate action taken but to see a swift move by government for an alleged flogging of a man after 2:00am, is mind boggling. In fact what decent citizen will be hanging around another person’s home at that hour of the night?

We Liberians love the police and soldiers to be idiots in uniforms standing still like scarecrows. Because since the political and business elites use membership in Masonic Temples to literally get away with murders, the Criminal Justice System and the Courts exist for the have-nots. Little wonder, then, those who think that wacko former Rebel Rep. Kolubah is a Napoleon want him to make terroristic threats and gets others beaten up with impunity.

Of course, manipulated students with delusions of revolutionary grandeur should be given medals for blocking streets to pedestrians and vehicular movements. No, that isn’t happening. One man’s freedom shouldn’t deny the freedom of others. The primary functions of LNP are to prevent crime, protect lives and properties, and investigate and arrest all offenders. The laidback sweet Liberia lifestyle has deepened irresponsibility, corruption, and lawlessness: We must wean ourselves off it.

Let’s stop coaxing confusion and commotion; after all, our country isn’t locked up in a cell, instead going through a tunnel at the end of which we will see light. The selfishness and readiness of not thinking of the powerless begging for money in order to store food not knowing how long the anxieties will last is mind-boggling. Not to talk of those elites who ran abroad in the last two months and are having celebratory parties ahead of a supposedly June 7 Revolution: Wicked Machiavellians.

Sylvsester Moses, you are a known terrorist. You, many years ago worked in the security apparatus of Liberia, and was known to torture people at the NSA and some civilians during that time died because of the torture you meted out to them to “confess” which they never did and you ended up killing them.That’s why you are supporting Weah’s brutality against civilians. This is not a question about “elites.” The government is arresting innocent students and civilians who want to exercise their rights. This is plain human rights violation of the Weah’s government. Stop talking non-sense and shut your big mouth up. You continuously talk from your ass but shit comes out of your mouth.

We Liberians are so accustomed to lying shamelessly and unconscionably that citizens of other ECOWAS countries sometimes wonder whether a curse not hanging over our selfish wicked heads.

NSA had over two hundred employees when I worked there between September 1980 to August 1986. Many are living in Liberia, few still there, and some working elsewhere; the question is, why aren’t fools on smearing campaign finding out from them? Or do these cowards dragging the country into another chaos think they can silence me with foolishness: Nonsense!

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